Lunæ, 3 die Januarii;

Nono Gulielmi Tertii.

Prayers.

Duties on Leather.

A PETITION of the Leather-dressers and Glovers, within the City and County of York, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, since a Duty has been laid upon Alum and Oiled-Leather, the Petitioners have quite lost their Trade, the common Sort of People choosing rather to wear Cloth, Stuff, and Fustian, rather than Leather; by reason whereof, and the Severity of the Collectors, the Petitioners are reduced to great Want; and praying, That the Duty upon Alum and Oiled Leather may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Leather-dressers and Glovers, of Bampton in the County of Oxon, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, since there has been a Duty laid upon Oiled and Alum-Leather, their Trade is so decreased, that they are forced to turn off their Journeymen; who now are necessitated to spin and card for a mean Livelihood, who, before the said Duty, maintained their Families very comfortably: And praying, That the said Duty may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, of the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Leather-dressers, Skinners, Glovers, and Tanners, in behalf of themselves, and other poor Inhabitants of the Town of Monmouth in the County of Monmouth, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners now finding what they, by Petition, represented the last Session) the ill Effects of a Duty upon Leather, even to the Ruin of the Petitioners, and their Trades, and many poor Families, who have no other Way to get a Livelihood. but by Dressing of Leather; they therefore pray, That the Duty upon Leather may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Glovers, Tanners, Sadlers, and other the Traders in Leather, inhabiting in the Town of Bergaveney in the County of Monmouth, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by reason of the excessive Duty upon Leather, the Petitioners, who before lived very creditably, are now reduced to want Bread: And praying Relief in the Premiles.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Glovers, living in the Towns of Kington, Weobley, Pembridge, and the several Parishes thereunto adjoining, in the County of Hereford, was presented to the House, and read: setting forth, That the Gloving Trade employed abundance of poor People formerly; but, since a Duty has been laid upon Alum-Leather, the Trade is much decayed, and the Master-Glovers are forced to turn off many of their Journey-folks for want of Money, through the Dulness of Trade, to pay them their Wages, their Chapmen requiring longer Credit than formerly; so that they are brought to great Extremity: And praying, That the Duty upon Alum-Leather may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Duties on Leather.

A Petition of the Glovers, Skinners, and others that taw and dress Leather within the Town of Ludlow, and afterwards cut and work the same into Wares, as well on behalf of themselves, as of others of the same Employments living in other adjacent Places, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, by a late Act for laying a Duty upon Leather, all Persons are required, who make Leather into Wares, to enter the same with the Officer, and the Value, upon Oath: That the Petitioners have duly made such Entries, and tendered the Duty, according to the Act; but the Officers refuse to take the same, unless the Petitioners will make Oath, that they pay to the full Value of such Leather, threatening to prosecute for the Penalty, though the Petitioners swear the Value to the best of their Knowledge, and cannot do otherwise, without Danger of Perjury, by reason of the frequent Rising and Falling of the Price of Leather: And praying some speedy Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Master-Glovers of the Town of Rosse in the County of Hereford, in behalf of themselves and their Journeymen and Women in the said Town, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, since a Duty upon Alum-Leather, the Glovers Trade is much decreased, and almost ruined, especially the Wholesale Trade to London: and Chapmen will not buy without longer Credit than heretofore; so the Petitioners must put off their Work-folks, for want of Money to pay them; who, for want of Employment, will become a Charge to their respective Parishes, without speedy Relief: And praying, That the Duty upon Alum-Leather may be taken off.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Ditto.

A Petition of the Stewards, Fellmongers, Leatherdressers, and Glovers, in the ancient Corporation of Ruthin, in the County of Denbigh, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners do acquire but barely a Subsistence by their Trades; which, since a Duty upon Leather, is very much decayed, and the Petitioners thereby reduced to great Want: And praying Relief in the Premises.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the Petition of the Aldermen, Stewards, and Company of Fellmongers, Leather-dressers, and Glovers, in the City of Chester, is referred: And that they do examine the Matter thereof; and report the same, with their Opinion therein, to the House.

Army Debts

A Petition of the Officers, Innkeepers, and Clothiers, that served in, quartered, and clothed, the Army, raised by an Act of Parliament in 1677, and disbanded by another Act in 1679, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That the Petitioners became Creditors, by virtue of the said Act of 1677; and the Supply given by the Act of 1679, fell short of paying the Petitioners about 61,926£. Principal Money, besides Interest: That the Petitioners have often petitioned this House for Relief; who as often referred the same to Committees; who stated the said Debt, and reported the same to the House; who thereupon resolved into a Committee of the whole House, for Ways and Means to pay off the same; but the Necessities of the late War prevented the Petitioners Relief: And praying, That their said just Parliamentary Debt may be so taken into Consideration, as that the same may be satisfied.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to a Committee: And that they do examine and state the Debts due to the Innkeepers and Clothiers; and report the same to the House.

And it is referred to Sir Henry Hobart, Sir Tho Robarts, Sir Henry Colt, Mr. Yates, Mr. Colt, Sir John Elwell, Mr. Arnold, Sir Herbert Crofts, Mr. Dolben, Major-General Earle, Mr. Sloane, Serjeant Wogan, Dr. Oxenden, Sir John Phillips, Sir Fra. Masham, Mr. Frewen, Mr. Whitaker, Mr. Blofeild, Mr. Done, Mr. Cooper, Mr. Thornhaugh, Mr. Baldwyn, Sir Marm. Wivell, Mr. Thompson, Sir Robert Davers, Mr. Fuller, Sir Matth. Andrews, Mr. Manley, Colonel Bierley, Mr. Brotherton, Sir Tho. Dyke, Sir Sam. Barnardiston, Mr. Farrer, Mr. Hoblyn, Mr. Molesworth, Mr. Jacob, Mr. Phillipp, Sir Tho. Day, Sir Wm. Cooper: And they are to meet this Afternoon at Four a Clock, in the Speaker's Chambers; And have Power to send for Persons, Papers, and Records.

Knott's Estate.

A Petition of George Manwaring Gentleman was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That there is a Bill depending in the House, to enable the Trustees of William Knott, and his Wife, to sell a Lease of Houses in Bread-street, London, for Payment of Debts; and to settle another Estate, of better Value, in lieu thereof: And the said William Knot being indebted to the Petitioner in 130 l. by Judgment, he prays, That he may not be prejudiced by the Passing of the said Bill.

Ordered, That the Consideration of the said Petition be referred to the Committee, to whom the said Bill is committed.

Irish Arrears.

A Petition of Archibald Lawrimer, and Jacob Smith, in behalf of themselves, and others, the Soldiers under the Command of the late Colonel Bierley, and Colonel Hugh Wyndham, in the reducing of Ireland, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, upon reading a Report to the House, upon the 30th of March last, from the Commissioners of Accounts, in relation to the Arrears due to the Petitioners; and the House having referred the said Report to the Paymasters for Ireland; yet the Petitioners have received no Benefit thereby: And praying, That the House will give such Directions therein, that the Petitioners may be satisfied what is due to them.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table: And that the Lord Coningsby and Mr. Fox do give the House an Account of the Matter therein contained.

Leave of Absence.

Ordered, That Sir John Bucknall have Leave to go into the Country for Ten Days, upon extraordinary Occasions.

Committees.

Ordered, That all Committees be revived.

Army Arrears.

A Petition of several Soldiers discharged out of Colonel Ross's Regiment of Dragoons, now in the Spanish Low Countries, was presented to the House, and read; setting forth, That, upon their Discharge, their Horses were taken from them, which they brought into the King's Service; and their Officers forced them to sign Accounts that were unjust, whereby they are deprived of the greatest Part of their Arrears: And praying the Relief of the House therein.

Ordered, That the said Petition do lie upon the Table.

Counter's, &c. Imprisonment.

The House, according to the Order of the Day, resolved itself into a Committee of the whole House, upon the Bill for continuing the Imprisonment of * * Counter, John Bernardi, Robert Cassells, Robert Meldrum, James Chambers, and Robert Blackborne, committed to Newgate for the late horrid Conspiracy to assassinate his Majesty.

Mr. Speaker left the Chair.

Mr. Clark took the Chair of the Committee.

Mr. Speaker resumed the Chair.

Mr. Clark reported from the said Committee, That they had gone through the Bill, and made several Amendments; which they had directed him to report, when the House will please to receive the same.

Ordered, That the said Report be made To-morrow Morning.

Navy Estimate.

Sir Robert Rich, from the Commissioners of the Admiralty, presented to the House a Copy of the ordinary Estimate of the Navy, for the Year 1685: And also,

The ordinary Estimate for the Year 1696: And also,

A List of the Royal Navy of England, and of the Ships and Vessels belonging thereto, the 31th of December 1697, with their Rates and Number of Guns.

And the Titles thereof were read.

Ordered, That the said Estimates and List do lie upon the Table, to be perused by the Members of the House.

Hammered Coin.

Mr. Harcourt, according to Order, reported, from the Committee of the whole House, to whom the Bill to prevent the Currency of any hammered Silver Coin of this Kingdom, was committed, the Amendments made by the Committee to the said Bill; which they had directed him to report to the House; and which he read in his Place, with the Coherence; and afterwards delivered in at the Clerk's Table: Where the same were once read throughout; and then a Second time, one by one; and, upon the Question, severally put thereupon, agreed unto by the House.

A Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, for the coining old hammered Money at the Mints in the Country.

And the same was twice read, with Blanks: And the Blanks were filled up; and other Amendments made to the Clause by the House.

And then the Question being put, That the Clause, so amended, be made Part of the Bill;

The House divided.

The Yeas go forth.

So it was resolved in the Affirmative.

Another Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, for all Persons to receive the new Money by Weight, and to cut such as they suspect to be naught:

And the same was twice read; and, by Leave of the House, withdrawn.

Another Clause was offered to be added to the Bill, for making new Exchequer-Bills where the old ones are filled up by Indorsements:

And the same was twice read; and agreed unto by the House, to be made Part of the Bill.

Ordered, That the Bill, with the Amendments, be ingrossed.

And then the House adjourned till To-morrow Morning, Nine a Clock.